Method of remodeling lasts



Dem- 1Q 1942.

J. D. OWENl METHOD OF REMODELING LASTS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 3Q, 1939 l fl'veoz' l JOHNV D. OWEN Dec. 1, 1942. J. DQpowEN METHOD oF REMODELING LAsis Filed'Nov. 450, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ivew'or JOHN D. OWEN Dec. l, 1942. J. D. owEN METHOD of' REMQDELING LAsTs Filed Nov. 50. 1939 5 SheQtS-Sheet 3 JoH/vy D. QwE/v 2,0%@ owg' D612# l, 1942'- -J. D. owEN METHOD OF REMODELING LASTS 5 sheets-sheet 4 Filed Nov. 30', 1939 14 JoH/v 0. OWEN 1% @Homey Dec. 1, 1942. 1 D V'OWEN 2,303,895

METHOD OF REMODELING LA'STS v I l FiledNov. 30, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 'JOHN D. Owe/v ,i 6g. Mmmtowvey Y Patented Dec. 1, 1942 Ni'iE ST'EES dayiliii'i" QFFCE.

METHOD 0F REMODELING LASTS John D. Owen, Stoughton, Mass.

Application November 60, 1939, Serial No. 306,819

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in methods of remodeling lasts.

More particularly it relates to the remodeling of a last by substituting a new forepart.

Changes of styles in shoes entail heavy expense because lasts which are sound and mechanically goed have to be discarded. It has long been recognized that large economy would result, if a practicable way were known for changing the forepart of a last.

Proposals to make lasts with detachable foreparts and a plurality of substitute foreparts have not won general acceptance, because mechanical fastenings become loose; and because style changes occur, unforeseen; and because of various other objections.

Proposals to remodel integral lasts have been by substituting a rough block for a severed forepart and then, with the block secured to the residue or" old last, turning the block to the desired new shape of forepart. This procedure has proven unsatisfactory for various reasons, including the inability to mount in a lathe, because of the absence of old centers, and the extreme diiculty of shaping the new forepart precisely to desired contour without shaving or otherwise removing stock from the adjacent residue of the old.

The present invention starts with a last in which the body and toe are one integral piece, actually or in eiect. This may carry such surface plates as may be wanted; and the body and heel may have whatever hinge, or block, or other arrangementmay be preferred for extracting the last from the shoe. In the remodeled last which the invention provides, the connection of toe to body is integral, in the practical sense of being permanently rigid and secure, although the toe is in facta separate piece of wood fastened to the body.

It is a characteristic of the present invention that the new iorepart and the old body part lit together with perfect joinder of adjacent surfaces, without any wastage of material of the body, notwithstanding the diiculties above mentioned, arising from absence of turning centers and from diverse settings in the lathe of manufacture and the lathe of the remodeling.

Since the remodeling is effected without the old body having been made initially attachable and detachable, with respect to the forepart, it is an advantage of my invention that it can be applied to any of existing millions of ordinary wood lasts (assuming the old body to be adequate), with the effect of converting an old last of no value into a new one at not much more than the cost of makon 5--6 of Figure l;

ing the new fore portion. Andy this can berepeated an indefinite number of times. It is assumed in each casethat all of the desired re- .y

modeling can be expressed in the fore portionwhich is usually the fact. The place for severing A toe from body can be selected as far back from the tip as may be necessary in order that the severed fore portion shall include all of the places where the contour of the last is to be changed, provided of course that it be forward of the hinge,

if any, so that the saw does not nd metal in its body, and sawing of the rear end of the forepart,l make the smooth joinder of their respective con-i tours.

This application is a continuation in part of my cci-'pending application Serial No. 113,816, filed December 2, 1936, and. entitled Methods of and apparatus for remodeling lasts, wherein is disclosed and claimed apparatus suitable for performing the method as herein claimed. The apparatus herein disclosed embodies improvements over the apparatus of my said co-pending application Serial No. 113,816.

Itis intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in the appended claim, whati` ever Afeatures of patentable novelty of art or method exist in the invention disclosed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a top plan of a device suitable for practicing my improved method of remodeling Y lasts, a complete last being shown mounted therein, in position for a straight saw cut, indicated by dotted lines, to partially sever Yits forepart from its rear part;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the last moved to a position for' a second straight sawV cut. indicated by dotted lines, to complete the severing;

'Figure 3 is an end elevation of the device as f seen in Figure 2, looking at the forward end;

Figure 4 is a partial side elevation, in section on 4 6 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a top view, in section on 5 5 of ure 4;

Figure 6 is a partial side Figelevation, in section Figure 7 is a sectional view on 'l--l of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a sectional view on 8 3 of Figure 1;

Figure 9 is a sectional view on 9--9 of Figure 1;

Figure 10 is a sectional view on Ill-lil of Figure 2;

Figure l1 is a partial side elevation similar to Figure 6 but showing a replacement forepart mounted in the forward clamps;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary top plan showing a modied form of forward last-clamping means;

Figure 13 is a side elevation, on a smaller scale, of the rear portion of the saw table and base of Figure 1 showing the adjustable stop for setting the limit of a saw cut;

Figure 14 is a top plan of a modified form of device by which the method of the invention may be practiced;

Figure 15 is a top plan of a last with its forepart severed by a single, curved cross-cut, which may be accomplished with the device of Figure land Figure 16 is a top plan of a rear part of a last holder similar to that of Figures 1 and 2, but having means facilitating repeat positionings of corresponding portions -of different lasts thereon.

The great utility of this invention, for that part of the shoe making industry which uses lasts, is leased on recognition that in the remodeling of lasts the changes which are introduced by the remodeling occur, with rare exceptions, at regions which are forward of the hinge of the last. Or, if there be no hinge, they are forward of the location where the hinge would be if there were Aa hinge, The method-of the invention provides :for severing the forepart from an old last at a place a little back of the rearmost region where the changes .from the old are to be introduced; and -provides for the substitution, on the residue of vold last left by such a removal of forepart, -of a new forepart which will have been premodeled so as to embody all of the desired changes.

The severing of the -forepart from the old last may be accomplished in various ways, as, with a band saw -or circular saw, or by any other suitable cutter. -And the-severing may be by a single straight cross-cut; a plurality of straight cuts extending in angular relation; a single curved cut; or a combination of straight and curved cuts. However, it is -essential that the severance occur at a region whose contour will be precisely the same in the remodeled last as in the old last, and that `complementary cut surfaces be provided on the residue of the old and on the pre-modeled new forepart, so that these surfaces may fit together nicely.

To attain these ends the invention uses custcmary methods for the rough-turning and sha-ving of a new forepart, starting with a rough block having only the length of the forepart with slight excess. The shaving leaves the block devoid of lthe toe-stub that carried the forward center on which the block; was turned; and leaves it in the desired final shape; and practically -in the desired nal size, for the subsequent scouring and polishing takes off only about a quarter of a size, which does not affect its fit to the body part.

The invention provides for the determining of a proper length for the residue to be retained of the old last, and a proper length for the replacement forepart, in order that the remodeled last shall be of desired length; and provides for a quick and perfect fitting of these two together. This latter is done by sawing each, at a, place where it is identical with the other in shape; and where their joined lengths will make the proper new length, so as to constitute, by the saw cut, surfaces, respectively on the residue and on the new forepart, which are complementarily identical in shape and size, these two surfaces to be later butted together for firm joinder. The cutting and the tting is preferably done with the work positioned in a cradle which is adjustable, first, to receive and to hold at least the rear and mid-body of the old last, or at least to register a position thereof, and preferably at the same time to hold the forepart of the old last during the sawing operation which severs that old forepart from the mid-body; second, to guide the positioning of the rear and mid-body of a model of the whole remodeled last; third, to be adjusted so as to register by aid of that model vthe proper position for the remodeled forepart when the rear and mid-body are in the position already registered for them; fourth, to pose in the position thus registered the new forepart which is to be added tothe residue of the old last, and, preferably to hold the new in that position while the saw is trimming .the rear of this new forepart `,on a surface complementary to the forward .surface of the said residue. If desired, guide .points .may be marked, vone on the residue of body, and .one on the new forepart, while they are separate, at top edges of their surfaces which are to go together. The putting of the two guide points Atogether when those surfaces are together willr guide Ythe setting of the f orepart with correct swing kwith respect 'to :the body part. This marking is optional, being sometimes useful but not really necessary in practice.

' t will be understood that, in Icases to which the invention applies, the master lmodel for the remodeled last can be made from one of the old lasts in the manner customary by vadding layers of material to it to build up a fullness, vor shaving material Yfrom it, so as to convert it to the desired new shape, according to the art of a model maker. When a rough block is Aput 'into `a lathe and a forepart is turned, with that remodeled shape as a guiding master model, the rear portion of the forepart, at and lback of the place for its tting to the body part, will have a izonary region identical in shape with the corresponding region of 'the master model, and vtherefore identical in shape with the corresponding region of each of the .old lasts which are :to be remodeled. The oldlast which is to 'be remodeled is therefore cut off in this region, and the severed forepart is discarded. This may be done by a band saw, or by a .circular saw, with the last ,mounted on a movable work table. The .new rough-turnedand-shaved forepart, while it `is positioned as above indicated, is severed in its corresponding region, .its excess length being cut off at a proper distance from the foretip (according as the new toe is "to be longer or shorter) and the Asevered rear port-ion .of the forepart is discarded. This cut may beimade bythe same saw making asurface or surfaces complementary to the surface or Vsurfaces left on the old last. The identity of contour shapes I-at the regions where these cuts are made permits of the old body and the new forepart being put together with perfect vand firm `t of their cut surfaces, and with practical identity of external contour.

'Therzonary region for eecting this union may for brevity `be referred to as a mid-region of the last. It is 4aftiof vall forward regions where any contour is to be changed; and it is forward of the rear and main body portion'ofthe last, containing 'the hinge and principal metallic obstacles to the making of Ia saw cut. There will ordinarily'be ample length of space here where the contour ofthe old last is not to be changed, and where, therefore, each one of the old lasts will be like all the others ofthe same style and contour; and any one of them can'be chosen to be that' one whichwill be altered ,byv hand to b'ecome the pattern or model forthe new.

f 'Thesesteps :are accomplished by'ascertaining and recording in acradle a known position of the oldlast, and severing its forepart on a'surface having-a known relation to thatfposition; and, if desired,"recording on the residue a point showing its relation to the said position; setting the newiforepart in its appropriate portion of that same position, this having previously, in anoper-v ati'onby itself, been prepared in the desired new shape, with a small excess length of-midregion of the last; cutting olf the *excess at its' rear, to a :surface occupying the same relation to 'that positionas didthe forward surface' of the body, at which the last was severed; recording on the forepart, if desired, a point having a known relation to the Isaid position; and putting the sur-V faces ofseverancetogether, of -the residue Vbody and thev residue forepart, with their recording points indicating the proper relation vof 'these residues to each other for reproducing intheir assemblythe relation which each separately held with respect to 'said' known position of the whole last when it was set therein'. Q

In'fpractice these steps-'may be accomplished thus: Y

First, setting the old last into a holder or `iig, having adjustable points for support and for positionaltouch of the 01d last, and holding the last therein on asaw table which moves relative tothe saw for the forepart to be cut olf, and if desired, 'recording .the said guide point by a" mark'on-it, showing its position relative to the jig. Second; setting the previously turned and shaved ,forep'art into the s'ame jig, the forward points of .which for support and touch have beenl adjusted slightly for the'oversizek and for any change of size, or `further change Vof swing or spring that maybe desired or for any contour change which occurred wat. points of contact of the jig with-the new forepart; and moving'the forepart relative to the sawv to remove its rear excessulength and to provide the said surface or surfaces which will be complementary to what was left by the cutting of the o1dlast.fThethick ness of the saw is' taken into consideration in de# termining where the new forepart is toV be cut'. A record point may be marked on '.the forepart which is at the same location, relative to the iig, as the mark on;th'e body residue of last. llhird, setting the bodyresidue of last back into the jig for the ttingtogether of ther old body and'the'new forepart. w While they are thus fitting together they can be compared with the pattern, and then secured together, as by glue and pressure, and by sunken screws and dowel pins,` so Vas lto make a -solid last in which, for all practical needs off a shoe .factory, `the `forepart is as if it were integral with the body part. That body part may be of the hinged type or otherwise as may be desired." s The finishingof the Vforepart may then be completed'as in the case of a solidflast, by scouring,jpolishing, dipping, and by adding a toe-iron if desired, As the smoothing of rthe rough fmish by the scouring reducesithe forepart only on the "rear edge'of the table.

fecting of the smoothness of joinder of surfaces involves no violating of the original form at this region of identity, as the forepart there is al` ready in practically its lnal form.v When put together the shape of each at the cut fits the other precisely; and the pre-existing shape of the'body part does not need to be violated in making a smoothvjoinder.

It results thereforel that the remodeled last requires only the labor' for making and aiiixing the new forepart, Vwith no spoilage of the body portion, and with al great saving over previous methods. 'l

In my said co-'pending application, Serial No. 113,816, the apparatus shown is for cutting on a curved line, on a radius which may be predetermined. With the 'apparatus herein disclosed, one straight cut, or two straight cuts extending in angular relation, may effect the severance, and make the surfaces for joinder both on the old last and on the pre-modeled new forepart.

. Referring Vto the drawings, in the particular apparatus here represented, a saw table I0 may be fixed in position, and a band saw I2 operates in verticalftravelrelative to the plane of the top of table I0, travellingdown through a slot at a mid-location in the table. p

A base I4- for the work holder is slidably mounted on the table, and has a slot I5 extending inward from its `rear edge for accommodating saw I2. YThe base has, on its under face, a'

along the other side if desired, `or `otlier guidev lmeanslmayjb'e employed.

In thea'rrangement represented, guide I6 projectsierearward a'distance beyond base I4, althoughthis is not necessary, and extends through a` slot 20in a boss 22 which isr secured safety lirnit, the boss 22 mayserve as a stoplfor travel of base" I4 on table Ill, rearward past the sawIZ, bydirect engagement of` base I4 against boss 22. f But, as represented, a block or lug 24 secured on guide' I6 ad'jacentto the rear edge 0i hase I 4, will Vengage the end of a screw 26 in boss' 22, so `that by means of screw 26 the rearwardlimit of-.travel'of basel' I4 may be adjusted. which will predetermine thej travel of the saw into the last ona'cutting stroke hereinafter described. 1' .i v

A last holder is pivotally mounted at 36 on a cross slide 33, on base I4, permitting-the swing-v ing yand sliding transfer "of last 28 between the` two sawing positions thereof shownfrespectvely in Figures 1 and 2; The holder'is arranged for holding alast lying on itsiside It comprises a rear 'support 30 and-'ia forward Vsupport 32, yconnected together by the rod l34, whose ends are similarly threaded, both I having right" pitch threads,'; 'r -bothhaving left pitch threads. One end` of rod 134 i's`screwed into" the rear support llfandthe--other 'fendris screwed into forward support 32.Vv '1 Th'ewforwardsupport 32 has the said pivotal connection 36 to the underlying bar 38 which Vcan slide'transversely on the base I 4, and-itself supports a carriage 33 slidably mounted on section 32 `for adjustment in directions toward and Vfrom the rear support, longitudinally of the last. For

about a quarter of a size, it is clear -that the per-l As a matter of finger adjustment of section 33 on the section- 32, a screw 40 is fixed on section 33, projecting forward therefrom looselyl through a pair of spaced apart lugs 4 2 on section `32; and a nut 44 is threaded on that screw between the lugs.

The forward supportsection 33 has a series of rests for engaging a forepart of last. As represented, the rests comprise a verticalbumper wall 35 for engaging the tip ofa last -or forepart, a pair of vertically aligned clamp elements 46, 45, spaced a littlerearward from the bumper 35 and adjustable on a right and lleft thread screw 48; and a second pair of vertically aligned clamp elements 50, 50, spaced rearward from the -rst pair, similarly adjustable on a right and left thread screw 52.

Theclamp elements 43, 46 preferably are adjustable toward and from each other vertically by screw 68, in a slide 41 which itself is mounted for vertical adjustment by screw 49.- And clamp elements 50, 56' likewise may be adjusted vertically, by their screw 52, in a slide 5I which itself is vertically adjustable by screw 53. With this structure, each pair of clamp elements may be moved bodily-toposition the` clamp relative to more or less swing offthe last; after which each clamp may be tightened to bring its clamp elements 46, 46 or 56, 5 8 into engagement with opposite side edges of the last, which lie in the holder with the vtop of the last facing hori- J zontally. If desired, a bearingvbutton 5,5 may be centrally located between clamp v elements 46, 66 for engaging the bottom of the last, as in Figure 5.

The clamp 46, 46 preferably is additionally adjustable for lasts having different spring of toe. For'this, the clamp-46, 46 and its slide 41 may be mounted on a block 5'Iwhich,may` be adjusted toward and from the last position, about pivot 59, by screw 6| (Figure 5). These various clamps do not merely serve the function of holding the last during its severance and the forepart rigid during itstrimrning. They also are contact points for learning, from the master re-model, just how the new forepart should be positioned and aligned;v for preserving a registration of that position until the new forepart is put in; and then for positioning and aligningk that forepart until it has been trimmed, whether the actual holding of the forepart is done by the described clamps or is done by hand guided lby the registered positions. Therefore, for accuracy of the aligning, and for firmness of the holding during the sawing, it is well that the longitudinal spacing between the side clamps be as great-as is convenient.

supplementing the clamps 46, 46 and 50, 58 and located between them, a cable loop clamp may engage around the forepart of the last to hold ythe last within the clamp elements 46, 46 and 50,

56, and against button 55. This loop clamp may comprise Athe cable 54 whose ends are secured to opposite ends of a short shaft 56, mounted in the slotted ears 58, 58 on support section 33. A sleeve 60 is loose on shaft 56 and has a pair of cams 6l, 5I fixed thereon and vmounted, in position for camming engagement against the carriage 33 on support section 32. A removable handle 62 on the cam facilitates rotation of the cams on shaft 56 to tighten the cable loop by movement of shaft 56 outward from last 2 8. Preferably the effective length of the cable clamp may be adjusted by a screw 63 at one or both ends of shaft 56, in which screw one end of the cable 54 may be secured.

Transverse sliding bar 38, to which support section 32 is pivotally connected at 36, is slidable in a transverse groove 64 in base I4, lbetweenadjustable stops 66, 68, one at each side of the base.

Lio

The rear support 3 0 rests on base I4 and has an adjustable rest 10 on which the under side of the rear portion of. a last may engage. Also it has a vertically adjustable button 12 for engaging the bottom of `the last.A These vare. contact ypoints which cooperate withsimilar adjustable contact points-10 and12 located as much further Afor--` ward on the rear support 30 as is practicable to register the position of the heel and body part of anv old last which is to be remodeled. The master re-modehwhichhas similar contour'at heel and body, is later to bezset against these contacts and so be aligned similarly,in order that from this master the proper position' of the forepart of the re-modeled last can be ascertained and registered, to be followed iby the holding of that forepart in that registered positionr during makingon-.itv-of a rear surface that will be cor. rect for joinder to the body part of the old last. Preferably the rear 'bumper wall 14 is hinged at 16 to swing backward, and is held in operative ver.d tical position by a latch 18. This permits the removal of the residue of an 'oldlast, after its forepart` has ybeen severed, without danger of accidentally cutting the. residue when the base is being moved forward away from rthesaw.

If desired the adjustable rest 'I0 may be' adjustf able transversely of support 30, by being carried on a slide 80 which is adjustabletransversely.

The operating is as followsf Referring vto Figures 1 and 2, and assuming last 28 to be 'an old last which is to be remodeled, before proceeding with'a'ny cutting, Zonary region Z thereon must be determined forward of which all of the changes are to occur. And a .new-forepart will have been lmade ready, modeled so as'to embody all of the desired changes from the old forepart.'l According Ato theniethod of the invention, the remodeling ofa'last in'- cludes the steps of modeling ai Vnew forepart', as a separate element, which will Zembody all of the desired changes from the .old last; .This'rnay-be accomplished accordingf to Well''known* lastmodeling methods, using afma'ster. lastfof :the'ded' sired size and contour as a' guide vor pattern. V"The new pre-modeled forepa'1"i.'will` have extent rearwardfrom the toe far enough't'o provide 'a zonary region Z, Fig. 11thereon-whose:contour is-pre'i cisely the same asithe'contom'of a'corresponding region of the old.1ast. kThe obsolete or not-y wanted forepart of the oldlast` is severed fromthe old body by cutting across' the :last fin the 'said zonary region which is preciselyfthe same as a region of the new forepart; vand 'therear portion of the new forepart is trimmed away by cutting across it atitsscorrespondingregion. The cut surface or .surfaces left on theold last, and on the' new forepart, are complementary .to each other, so that thenewiforepart and the residue of the old la'stcanA be 'puttogetherj andV secured together, so as to have the desired contour ofthe complete remodeled. last... A-iinal scouring process, will finish they .remodeled last' without materially changing thecontour andy sie thus made'.

The setting of vthe .old last orof the new forepart, for ai said cuttingliortrimming, will take into account the slightloss 'f "length incidental to a saws cut. This needed'addit'ion of length may be predetermined and beiprvide'd for in the setting of the old last for Yits cuti'fl'ng; or it may be provided for in the setting of the new forepart for its trimming cut.' But, having been provided on one, it will not beprovidedon the other. n

Thus the method conserves'zthe 'body and heel of the old, and avoids the stock, labor and costs of making a fresh body and heel part like the old.

Having decided where the cutting is to be done, the old last 28 may be turned on its side and be mounted in the last holder while the base I4 is at a forward location on table IIJ, away from the saw. Rear bumper 'I4 being in latched operative position, the rear end of the last is thrust against it, with rest I providing under support, and button T2, at one side, engaging the bottom of the heel portion. Next, the forward support carriage 33 may be adjusted, by turning nut 44, until the front bumper thereon engages the tip of the last, after which the clamps 46, 46 and 50, 50 are adjusted to engage opposite sides of the last. The forepart of the last will have Vbeen inserted in the loose loop cable clamp 54, which now may be drawn tight by turning cams 6I, 6|;.and the last is ready for the cutting operation.

The forward end of the last is to be moved to the right (Figure 1) by sliding of support 32 von base I4, until stop 68 is engaged by bar38; and rear support 30 is swung to the left (Figure 1) into engagement with an adjustable stop 82, which involves a turning of the last holder about its forward pivot 36. The last then is in the position of Figure 1, ready to be fed toward the saw by movement of base I4 along table I0. If rod 34 were a. straight connection between the forward and rear supports, it would be in the path of the saw. Rod 34 is formedwith a U-bend 34', in the bowl of'which the saw may work when at the inner extremity of a straight cut into the last.V '.Ihe place of the prospective rst saw cut is indicated by the dotted lines at 84 in Figure 1; and in Figure 2 this first cut is shown as actually made in the last by full lines at 85. Because rod 34has both ends on the same axisand threaded alike, its U-bend or bowl 34 may be swung about the axis of the rod without affecting the relative positioning of the front and rear supports, Thus the U-bend in Figure 1 is on the left o f the saw path, and so accommodates the saw in making the initial cut in the last. In Figure 2 it has been swung under the last through 180 from its posi- .tion of Figure 1, and is on the right sideio'f the saw path, and accommodates the saw in making the second cut along the dotted line 86.l Thus, although the fore and bodyparts are and continue to be rigidly connected by a sti longitudinal rod, the result is attained that a complete severance of forepart from body part is made by the saw. The saw slot I5 in base I4 may be wide enough as at I5( to permit complete rotation of the U-rod for changing the longitudinal position of the U, when aligned with the slot., A removable handle 88 may be provided on rod 34 for this purpose.

Figure 2 shows the position of the last preparatory to making the second cut at86, for complet,-

ing the severance. The forward support 32 has been slid to the left as far as stop 66 willpermit, and the rear support has been swung to the right into engagement with adjustable stop 90. The U-bend 34 of rod 34 is open toward the saw as heretofore explained. Both from the position in Figure 1 and from that in Figure 2, for the saw cutting, the base I4 is to be bodily moved along table IIJ until stopped by screw 26 engaging'block 24. l

After the forepart has been completely severed by the second cut, the rear bumper 'I4 may-be unlatched to permit wthdrawal of the residue of old last rearward in direction away from the saw. Thesevered forepart will continue to be held on its support until released, after base I4 has been moved away from the saw.

The cutting of the pre-modeled forepart, to provide on it a surface fitting that made on the body of the old last by the described cutting, will be preceded by a proper adjustment of the forward clamps to accommodate the changed contour of the new as compared with the old. This may be accomplished by mounting in the last holder the complete master last which was used as a guide or pattern for modeling the new forepart. In this the heel and body parts are like those from which the forepart has been severed. The rear support 36 and its contact 'points remaining unchanged, the re-model can be set and aligned therein in precisely the position in which the last was while being severed. This will set the forepart of the re-model where the new forepart of last should be; and the forward contacts can be set against it to ascertain and' to register that position. The forward bumper may require adjustment forward or back to engage the tip of the master re-model; and the clamps 46, 46 and 53, 5i] will be newly adjusted to suit the swing and the spring of the new toe.

Having adjusted the forward clamps to contact the master last, for registering the position of its forepart, the screws 48, 52 may be backed a slight observed amount, if necessary, for removal oi the master and for insertion of the new forepart which has been made like it. When these screw clamps have been restored to position against the new forepart, and the cable clamp y54 has been tightened, the new forepart will be aligned and securely held in proper position to have its back end trimmed by the same sawing operations as were used for severing the old forepart from the old last,

Sometimes it is desired to use a master for the re-modeling of near-by sizes, without having a separate master for each. The new forepart, in that case will have been made with known allowanc'es from the masters dimensions, and suitable'adjustments of the clamp or contact can be 5 made to correspond, and so to receive and hold ing the adjustment at the rear. Similarly the needed predetermined adjustments of the rests lll, 'Iilj and of the clamp pieces 46, 46 and 56, 5u may be accomplished. Also the forward rest 55 will be suitably adjusted for the desired toe spring.

If a, particular setting of elements accommodates a right last, or a right forepart of last as indicated in Figures 6, ll, a corresponding setting `of slides 4l and 5|, to the other side of zero on their` respective scales S and S will accommodate a vleft last or forepart. In the drawings, particularly in Figure 6, it happens that slide Y5I is set at zero, so that no adjustment of it would be -required in setting for a left last or forepart, but

slide 4l would be adjusted to the other side of zero an amount corresponding to its represented departure from zero.

Before proceeding with the trim-cutting of the new forepart, the forward support 32 is to be moved forward relative to the rear support 30 a,

distance suicient to make up for the small loss` of length incident to a saw cut. Assuming that the saw I2 cuts a swath one' sixteenth of an inch wide, the needed addition' on the length of new forepart to compensate' will be' slightly' more than that, because of the cuts being at acute angles to the axis of the last. A movement along the axis of the last, sufficient to close a gap' thus made, would be equal to the width of saw cut mutiplied by the secant of the angle by which the line' of the saw cut departs from being perpendicular to the' axis' of the last. Without computation, it can be'determined' simply by measuring' at the' said angle across any saw cut of the intended width. The pitch of threads on rod 34 having been made' to be what has thus been determined, compensation' for th'e loss incident to the' saw cuts' can be' made by lifting the' forward support 32 from the' base I4, giving it one complete rotation on ro'd 34, and then setting it back on b'a'se' I4.

For the trimming of the new'forepa'rt, to make th'e' surface' for' j'oinder to' the old mid-body part, the' last holder then may be' moved on base I4 to its position of Figure l, and the base may then be moved against the saw which, entering the slot, will trim with' a straight cut of the for'epart, comparable to the cut at 8'4' (Figure l)` in the old last, but with the thickness of saw out restored. Then the base is` to be withdrawn from the saw; th'ev last holder moved on the base to its position of Figure 2'; and` the se'cond'cu't is to be made, corresponding' to that which' was made at 86 (Figure 2)' in the old last.

The surfaces thus cut on old and new portions will accurately be complementary to each other; so that a permanent joind'er of the' residue of the old last with the pre-modeled new forepa'rt may be' effected in any suitable way, to make these two pieces become in practical eifect integral. The' joint may, for example, be' made permanent by an adhesive substance supplemented by one or more screws. After th'e' securing, the completing of the remodeled last needs only a nal scouring such as is' well known in the last industry, and' the afxing of such metal plates as are desired, if any.

An outworn or' out-mo'ded integral last has thus been remodeled into a last which is integral in effect, at a cost but little greater than the c'ost of making a new forepart.

While th'e mechanism disclosed in' this present application would be useful to an' ordinary workman in practicing the process, as also would that shown in my said cci-pending application, some workers are so skilled in the use of the band saw that one who' is also proficient in the handling of lasts may be' able to practice the process witho'ut either of these mechanisms, and without'any implement except the saw and, probably, an underlying charted scale by which to gauge accurately the position in which to hold with his hand successively the old last, the new model, and the new forepart if there are contact rests which can be adjusted for registering the key positions, and for aid in reproducing the desired alignment, and to supplement the human hand in holding the wood steady during the sawing. In Figure 16 there is portrayed a means for guiding the setting of lasts on a last holder, comprising marks II4 on the holder by which the position of a portion of last may be observed, for a.- like setting of a corresponding portion of another last of the same size and contour. The guiding marksv II4 are portrayed. on a rear support similar to that of Figures 1 and 2' but obviously they may be on the forward'l support as' well.

The surfaces of joinder are'l not n'e'cessarih7 to be made' at' an angle to each other', although this is preferred as 'affording an element of strength of joint: if the entire cutis to be made in one plane, only a single traverseY of the saw is needed; Nor does' the practice` of the processA require' any particular'vari'ety of saw. A band saw is illus'-v trated' as being probably most convenient; but obviously a jig saw could' beusedalso a circular saw if it be given vertical travel past work' heid as' shown in the` drawings'. If its' travel is toghe horizontaL'and is' to make cuts' like those illus: trated, the` basalv plane'support'- of the work should be set at any angle'up` to 90"` from the horizontal illustrated son that `the height of saw cut' above the horizontal base plane would traverse-the straight line apex of the U'esi'lrfa-ces;` i

In the modified form ofjdeviceof Figure 14; alast may be mounted on a work holder 92' which-'may beu mounted enbase 94, for swinging4 movement about a pivot 96. The pivotal connection 'may be throughthe medium' of a slide 98 which maybe adjusted orr the base 'to' moven thej pivot' '961 toward or5 from the sawfll, for changing' thera- .dius of the arc of' cutting. In this case thef'last may rest on its' bottom on' the-holder'an'd be held by forward adjustable clamps III-2f, IM and rear adjustable clamps IUS', I08. The-work holder 92 vhas a deep groove IIN extending' inward from one side edge, to permit"y swinging` of the holder to bring the 'last against the' salwff'orthe cutting. f-

The last of Figure l-has itsforepart severed from its rear part' by -asingle'curved eut H2, which lmay be accomplished in thans-vice' of Figure 14. Its zonary region, e'orresponding'to Zof Figs'. lla-nd 2,i's indicated at Zr. i

The invention has Vbeen described*withvv the steps reci-tedin their more logical order of' first cuttingV the' oldlast' and then trimming the new forepa-rty to nt; but this' order isimmaterialand it would bean equivalent method-if the new forepart! were first 'trimmed andf thel old 'last were later severed' the same alignment,- withaforward' surface complementary to that already made on the new forepart, l i v Inthe cla'ir'n the terml integral is fused, for brevity and? convenience', 'to indicatev -af last in which the mid-body and forepart are one. piece practical effect, by way of distinction `from lasts of that type'- in whichv the forepart isrd'e'- tachable 1- Tinus a. Iastin' which there isa hinged piece,- orl suriace plateaoi': a permanently secured `forepart may' be integral-:withm-'thesense in which. integralis here used'.

I claim as my invention: ,c v

A method for equippingrwitha new fore' part,

`an oldI wooden lesa-whose heel, body and forepart are integral in effect, the region thereof immediately backl of the part which is to' be changed being a mid-zonary' region,'-c'omprising the providing of' a.` model of the desiredlast',A including the shapesY and relations of the* oldv heel, body andi mid-zone, and the desired new fore part; supporting that model on endecent'ers; supporting onend-ce'nters a: .block-of stock for a new fore part; rotating that model] and' that block on those centers, and turning the block to produce a fore part and'- mid-zone having the shapes and mutual relations of the fore-part and midzone in the model; determining thec'ontour of a certain position in space by Vsetting the model therein.; setting.' th'e oldi last with its heel, body and mid-zone portions in their respective Iparts of that determined contour position, and holding it there; cutting off the fore part of the so-held old last, to make cleavage surface located in midzonary region and having known relation to the said determined contour position, and rejecting the cut-oi fore part; removing the residue of old last from the determined position; setting the turned block With its -fore part and mid-zone in the appropriate portions of the determined contour position, and holding it there; cutting through the mid-zonary region of the turned block to make cleavage surface having the said known relation to the said determined contour position, and rejecting the cut-off rear 'part of the midzone; putting together the said cleavage surface of the residue of 01d last, comprising the heel,

-body and part of mid-zone of the old last andV the said cleavage surface of the residue of the turned block, comprising the fore part and part of mid-zone of that turned iblock; and securing said residues together in the mutual relation thus established.

JOHN D. OWEN. 

